Electrical sound transmitting and distributing apparatus



W. H. HUTH Feb. s, 1938'.

ELECTRICAL SOUND TRANSMITTING AND DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS Filed June 22, 1936 Patented Feb. 8, 1938 ELECTRICAL SOUND TRANSMITTING AND DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS I Walter H. Huth, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Aurex Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of I11- inois Application June 22, 1936, Serial No. 86,504

5 Claims.

This invention relates to hearing apparatus for deaf people.

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction and arrangement whereby a number of deaf peope can sit in a group, each with a headphone, adjacent a distributing rack, with the latter provided with sockets in which the plugs of the head-phones can be inserted, and which sockets are bridged or connected in multiple with the main circuit of the rack, whereby the listeners with the said headphones may hear a lecture or musical composition, or other sounds, delivered into a microphone, suitably connected with the said main circuit.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features of construction tending to increase the general efficiency and desirability of an apparatus of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, the inventon consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing, in Which- Fig. 1 is a perspective of an apparatus embodying the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section of a portion of the rack on line 2-2 in Fig. 1 of the drawing;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a different form of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the socket. plugs employed for the cord connections for the head-phones.

Fig. 5 is a perspective of the apparatus shown in Fig. l, the rack thereof, in folded condition.

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises a f plurality of hollow bars I, hinged together at their ends by hinges 2, the construction being such that either one or any number of these bars can be used, depending upon the number of deaf people using the apparatus. Said hinges are provided with sockets 3, on their under sides, to engage the upper ends of legs 4 that have their lower ends removably inserted in the bases 5, whereby the rack is held in suitably elevated position.

The rack has a leading-in electrical connection 6, which is connected with the circuit wires of each hollow bar I, and the wires of the bars are connected together by a flexible cord connection 1, between the ends of the bars, as shown in Fig. l of the drawing. Sockets 8, with long and short spring contacts, 9, are suitably mounted in the top of each bar I, and bridged on the main circuit in the bar, so that these sockets are connected in multiple.

A suitable microphone instrument III has a flexible cord connection H, with the main circuit of the bars preferably at the under side of one ofthe bars, and the said instrument can be supported by a leg l2 on a base l3, like those previously described. A power connection M, in the form of a flexible cord leading from the instrument l0, may be provided with suitable means for plugging into an ordinary wall receptacle or socket.

Each deaf listener will have a head-phone 15, provided with a flexible cord l6, terminating at its end in a plug ll, that is provided with a rotary knob l8 for controlling a variable resistance in the circuit of the head-phone. The plug I1 is adapted to be inserted in any one of the sockets 8 previously described, in order to bridge the head-phne on the main circuit wires 26, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. These wires are enclosed in the bars I, as indicated.

In Fig. 2, the bar I is shown as having top and bottom and side walls, forming a housing for the circuit wires and the springs of the sockets 8, whereas in Fig. 3 the bar I is simply an inverted channel, and in both cases the hinges 2 are preferably secured to the under sides of the bars.

When the apparatus is not in use, the legs 4 can be removed and the bars can be folded together, parallel, as shown in Fig. of the drawmg.

Thus, the apparatus can be moved into different positions, to accommodate the deaf listeners, or in accordance with the requirements of the room or other place where the apparatus is being used.

" What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a telephonic apparatus, a plurality of members each formed with opposite ends, hinges between ends of said members, electrical circuit connections carried by said members, means for detachably bridging an input instrument on said circuit, and devices on said members for detachably bridging a plurality of output instruments on said circuit, together with means for supporting said members in a suitably elevated position above the floor, all forming a folding rack about which listeners may conveniently assemble for the use of said output instruments.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, said supporting means comprising legs each detachably secured to the under side oi a hinge.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1, having 

